Remarkables

By Lisa Mantchev, David Litchfield (Illustrator)

A mermaid must choose between the ocean and a circus family.

3.5/5 Goodreads · 124 ratings

40 pages

$17.99Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

A boy discovers a lonely mermaid while swimming and invites her to join his circus family. As she bonds with the performers, she faces a heart-wrenching choice: stay with her newfound family or return to the ocean she longs for. This enchanting tale explores themes of belonging and the true meaning of home, set against the backdrop of a magical circus world.

From the publisher

A boy stands on a dock, behind him a glimmering circus. When he jumps into the water, an adventure begins. He meets mermaid who is all alone, an orphan, the last of her kind. While she’s eager to meet the circus folks—the strong man, the tattooed lady, the contortionist—she’s hesitant to create her own circus act at first, but grows to love the adoring audiences and her new circus family. Of course, she misses her ocean home. Will she have to choose between her new family and the ocean? In minimal, lyrical text, this stunning tale explores themes of friendship, loneliness, and home.

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 40
Reading age: 4–8
Audience: Picture
Lexile: AD480L

Themes & topics

Books about friendship Books about family life Books about family Books about orphans Books about mermaids

For the grown-ups

The parent guide

What families may want to know

Every family reads differently. These are the concepts our editors noticed in this book — worth seeking out for some readers, worth knowing about for others. The list isn't exhaustive, but it's a spoiler-light head start.

LGBTQ

A boy character says to a girl that she cannot like a certain boy because he says, "he is mine."

For readers who can't stop at one